Current News Articles | Page 134 | Afghanistan peace campaign

Headline Inflation Has ‘Significant Downturn’ in Afghanistan: World Bank

March 12, 2024 Current News Articles

Bibi Amina Hakimi

TOLOnews’ Reporter

12 March 2024

officials in the Ministry of Economy said that the Ministry has short-term and long-term plans for economic growth and reducing the rate of economic inflation.

In its latest report, the World Bank said that inflation experienced a significant downturn in January 2024, reaching -10.2% on a year-on-year basis.

The Afghanistan Economic Monitor report also said that the inflation rate in January 2024 has decreased in Afghanistan due to the delayed consumer purchases, reduced business investment, and stalled economic growth in Afghanistan.

According to the report, this inflation was due to the “sharp decline” in the price of food items by -15.1% and non-food items by -4.8%.

However, officials in the Ministry of Economy said that the Ministry has short-term and long-term plans for economic growth and reducing the rate of economic inflation.

“Climate changes and droughts have affected the agriculture sector and social security to some extent. We prioritize dealing with climate change and livelihood transformation through creating work opportunities in different sectors,” said Abdul Rahmad Habib, the spokesman of the Ministry of Economy.

”Afghanistan’s exports contracted by 5 percent YoY to $140.5 million in January 2024, down from $148 million,” the report said.

According to the report, Afghanistan’s imports increased by 37% this month, reaching $830 million from $600 million in January 2023.

“In the current year, one of the reasons for the decrease in exports is due to the blocking of the country’s ports, such as Torkham and Spin Boldak … the decrease in the export of mineral items also caused problems,” said Mirwais Hotak, head of the Executive Board of the Chamber of Commerce and Investment.

The World Bank has also said that the value of the Afghani has been stable in the last eighteen months due to global aid amounting to nearly $2 billion, but in January 2024, the value of the Afghani has also decreased against major world currencies.

“Over the eleven-month span of FY2024, from March 22, 2023, to February 21, 2024, Afghanistan’s revenue collection reached AFN 189 billion, narrowly missing the target by 2 percent but marking a 5.6 percent increase from the previous fiscal year,” the report reads.

Afghan CSO launches education TV channel to support schoolgirls in Afghanistan

March 12, 2024 Current News Articles

By Fidel Rahmati

Khaama Press

March 12, 2024

On March 8, 2024, the Begum Organization for Women (BOW) announced the official launch of Begum TV, an educational television channel aimed at providing learning opportunities to Afghan schoolgirls and students who have been deprived of education under the Taliban regime. The launch coincides with Women’s International Day and underscores BOW’s commitment to empowering women through education.

Begum TV will broadcast 24/7 in Afghanistan via satellite, offering video courses covering the entire Afghan school curriculum from 7th to 12th Grade in both Dari and Pashto languages. The programming includes fixed-time daily sessions tailored for different grade levels, allowing students to attend classes from home and engage with their favourite teachers for thirty minutes of intensive courses.

To accommodate students who may miss the morning sessions, all video courses are rebroadcast in the afternoon and late evening. This ensures widespread accessibility to educational content, particularly for those facing logistical challenges or time constraints.

The initiative builds upon the foundation laid by Begum Academy, a free digital platform launched in November 2023, which hosts over 8500 video courses covering the same curriculum. By combining television and internet broadcasts, Begum aims to provide almost all Afghan schoolgirls and students with access to free education, significantly impacting educational equity in the region.

In addition to academic content, Begum TV features a three-hour daily prime-time slot targeting a family audience. This segment aims to raise awareness of crucial issues such as health problems, psychological traumas, gender issues, domestic violence, and women’s rights. Through a blend of education and entertainment, the channel seeks to engage both children and parents, fostering a supportive environment for girls’ education.

Two daily educational talk shows, “Tabassoom” (Healing) and “Matab” (The Clinic), serve as flagship programs during prime time. “Tabassoom” focuses on mental health and well-being, offering insights from psychotherapists based in Paris and Kabul who address viewers’ questions and concerns. Meanwhile, “Matab” aims to popularize medical information and provide health counselling and tele-consultations, addressing gaps in the Afghan health system.

Meanwhile, the launch of Begum TV represents a significant step towards promoting education and empowerment for Afghan women and girls. Through innovative programming and deliberate partnerships, BOW continues to champion gender equality and access to education in Afghanistan.

UNESCO: 75% of Afghan Girls Denied Education, Facing Bleak Future

March 12, 2024 Current News Articles

Hadia Ziaei

Tolo News

12 March 2024

UNESCO in a report said that girls in Afghanistan and some African countries are facing significant educational setbacks.

UNESCO, in its report, has stated that Afghanistan is among the ten countries where the majority of girls are deprived of going to schools and 75% of them are deprived of education.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has published a report stating that girls in Afghanistan and some African countries are facing significant educational setbacks.

“Among these ten countries, nine from Africa and Afghanistan have the highest rate of girls’ lack of access to schools. Afghanistan ranks tenth in this list. At least 50% of girls cannot go to school, and in Afghanistan, 75% of girls do not have the opportunity to attend school.” Reads part of the report.

“If the Islamic Emirate does not allow our sisters to go to school this year as well, we will face a very difficult year ahead and the future of Afghanistan will be dark and in ignorance,” said Zakiullah Muhammadi, a university professor.

Zahra and Maryam, who are eighth-grade students, have turned to painting since the schools’ doors have been closed to girls from the sixth grade onwards.

They say that art can never replace education and the doors of schools must be reopened for girls.

“Education has its value, I want our school to start again so we can return to our lessons,” said Zahra

“I should have been in the eleventh grade by now, but since the schools were closed, I am still in the eighth grade,” said Maryam.

Meanwhile, several other students also request the caretaker government to facilitate their return to schools in the educational year 1403.

“My request from the Islamic Emirate is to open the doors of schools for girls above sixth grade in the solar year 1403, so we can enjoy our rights,” said Rabia, student.

“The schools for girls should be opened as soon as possible so we can continue our education like boys,” said Sana, another student.

Despite it being more than nine hundred days since the closure of schools for girls above the sixth grade and less than ten days left until the start of the new educational year, the caretaker government has not said anything about reopening the schools for these girls.

Muttaqi: Foreign Ministry Has 38 Offices Abroad

March 12, 2024 Current News Articles

By Nazir Shinwari

Tolo News

12 March 2024

Iran expels over two thousand Afghan migrants

March 11, 2024 Current News Articles

By Fidel Rahmati

Khaama Press

March 11, 2024

The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations has recently announced that over two thousand Afghan migrants returned to the country after being expelled from Iran.

On Monday, the ministry stated in a newsletter that approximately 2,103 Afghan migrants residing in Iran returned to the country after being expelled again.

The ministry’s newsletter mentioned that these migrants entered the country through the Islam Qala border in Herat province after being expelled.

The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations has clarified that the return of migrants was both voluntary and forced.

The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations reports the return of migrants from Iran at a time when both Iran and Pakistan have imposed strict restrictions on Afghan citizens.

Meanwhile, Pakistan forcibly deported over 200 Afghan migrants from the country just yesterday.

Pakistan and Iran consistently cite a lack of residency documents as the primary reason for expelling migrants from their countries.

Amidst the ongoing dire humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, Afghan refugees in Pakistan and Iran face severe challenges.

Many fled their homeland seeking safety and refuge but now find themselves living in precarious conditions, often without proper documentation or access to basic services. Discrimination and limited economic opportunities exacerbate their plight, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.

The forced deportation of Afghan refugees back to Afghanistan amid harsh winter conditions further compounds their suffering. Returning to a country grappling with conflict, economic instability, and humanitarian crises, these individuals are thrust into a situation of heightened vulnerability.

The lack of adequate shelter, food, and healthcare resources exacerbates their already dire circumstances, raising concerns about their safety and well-being.

Internal Disagreement Cause of UN’s Ineffectiveness in Afghanistan: Faiq

March 11, 2024 Current News Articles

Mitra Majeedy

Tolo News

11 March 2024

Islamic Emirate Rejects US Gen. Kurilla’s Remarks on TTP

March 11, 2024 Current News Articles

Mitra Majeedy

Tolo News

11 March 2024

The deputy spokesman of the Islamic Emirate, Hamdullah Fitrat, told TOLOnews that no one has permission to act against other countries from Afghanistan.

The Islamic Emirate rejected the recent remarks of US Centcom commander Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla about the unwillingness of the “Taliban” to act against the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The deputy spokesman of the Islamic Emirate, Hamdullah Fitrat, told TOLOnews that no one has permission to act against other countries from Afghanistan.

“The Islamic Emirate has full domination and control in Afghanistan and no group is allowed to have activities and threaten other countries from Afghanistan,” he said.

Earlier, the Express Tribune reported that Michael Erik Kurilla speaking to the US Senate Arms Services Committee voiced the unwillingness of the “Taliban” to curb the militant groups, including the TTP, in Afghanistan.

According to the report, the chief of Centcom claimed that the safe havens of the extremist groups in Afghanistan will increase the conflict in the region. The inability or unwillingness of the “Afghan Taliban” to contain them can destabilize Central and South Asia, the report reads.

“The Centcom chief said that the presence of safe havens in Afghanistan were increasing the risk of violent extremist organizations (VEOs) inciting regional conflict,” the report said.

The chief of Centcom was also quoted in the report as saying: “The Taliban’s inability, or unwillingness, to rein in VEOs could destabilize Central and South Asia.”

“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan must start working as soon as possible and hold meetings with the countries that are concerned about the presence of groups in Afghanistan,” said Sadiq Shinwari, a military analyst.

“Pakistan in this way wants to form a pretext for the interference of the world in Afghanistan,” said Sarwar Niazim, a political analyst.

The Pakistan Army yesterday in a statement expressed concerns over the use of Afghan soil against Pakistan which was again dismissed as unfounded by the Islamic Emirate.

‘60,000’ Ancient Artifacts at National Museum: Officials

March 10, 2024 Current News Articles

Naweed Samadi

Tolo News

10 March 2024

According to Sibghatullah Abid, they are endeavoring to keep Afghan culture alive and protect it.

On International Day for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage, the Ministry of Information and Culture said that the National Museum houses over sixty thousand artifacts from various decades.

Atiqullah Azizi, the Deputy Minister of Information and Culture, during a ceremony marking the day, stated that in the past year, they have successfully discovered and transferred hundreds of ancient and cultural artifacts from different provinces to the National Museum.

“According to the data, there are more than sixty thousand artifacts in the National Museum of Afghanistan,” he said.

Sibghatullah Abed, the director of the National Museum, said that some individuals and countries have strived for years to destroy the country’s culture and ancient artifacts.

According to Sibghatullah Abid, they are endeavoring to keep Afghan culture alive and protect it.

“Our enemies have tried hard to bury and destroy our culture and history. To combat this, we must all strive to ensure that our country’s culture does not disappear,” he added.

Meanwhile, Hayatullah Mahajer Farahi, the Deputy Minister of Publications at the Ministry of Information and Culture, said that the leader of the Islamic Emirate has ordered measures to prevent the trafficking and sale of ancient and cultural artifacts in the country.

“We do not allow anyone to destroy and smuggle our historical artifacts as in the past,” said Hayatullah Mahajer Farahi.

“The Ministry of Information and Culture has had very good achievements in all sectors. Any country that loses its culture will be destroyed,” said Wali Gul Jawad, the Cultural Head of Kabul Municipality.

According to officials of the Ministry of Information and Culture, in the past year, fourteen hundred sites have been discovered in more than ten provinces by the Department of Archeology and Artifact Recognition of this Ministry.

The ministry said that a draft law on cultural heritage has been prepared by the ministry and sent for approval to the leader of the Islamic Emirate.

Islamic Emirate: Disagreement Exists in US Over Afghan Policy

March 10, 2024 Current News Articles

TOLOnews

TV Network

10 March 2024

In a statement published by the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, McCaul urged President Joe Biden not to encourage anyone to engage with the “Taliban.”

The Islamic Emirate, referencing remarks by the chair of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee and the US Chargé d’Affaires for Afghanistan about interaction with the interim government, said that these statements stem from a difference of opinion among US officials regarding Afghanistan.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, stated that good relations between Kabul and Washington are in the interest of both countries.

“In America, there is a difference of opinion or disagreement about Afghanistan. Michael (McCaul) may be one of those who supported the war in Afghanistan. After America’s disgraceful defeat, they might have been affected and now want to express hostility and animosity towards all of Afghanistan and its people; but this is not the solution.”

Michael McCaul, the chair of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, reacted to recent statements by Karen Decker, the Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy for Afghanistan, about supporting Afghans’ “political roadmap and engagement with the Taliban,” saying that any suggestion of engaging with the “Taliban” is a slap in the face to the people of Afghanistan.

In a statement published by the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, McCaul urged President Joe Biden not to encourage anyone to engage with the “Taliban.”

“Suggesting any form of engagement with the Taliban is a slap in the face to the Afghan people who are victims of the Taliban regime. The administration should not encourage engagement with the Taliban under any circumstances,” the statement reads.

“They want to change the atmosphere and use pressure as a means to achieve their own benefits. If they get a positive response, they say there is a good path and an opening; if not, it means there’s a negative opening as well,” Aziz Maarij, a political analyst, said.

However, some political analysts said that the dichotomy in America’s foreign policy towards the caretaker government is influenced by the 2024 elections in the country.

“Differences emerge for them at critical times, especially during various elections they have, the most important being the presidential election,” said Sayed Hashem Balkhabi, a political analyst.

Previously, the US Chargé d’Affaires for Afghanistan stated that Afghan civil society in Istanbul supports the reintegration process of Afghanistan led by the United Nations and a political roadmap for engagement with the Islamic Emirate.

Rina Amiri Urges Islamic Emirate to Change Policies Toward Women

March 10, 2024 Current News Articles

Mitra Majeedy

T:olo News

10 March 2024

The Islamic Emirate said that good opportunities have been provided in the trade sector for women and it supports their achievements in Afghanistan.

Rina Amiri, United States Special Envoy for Afghan Women, Girls and Human Rights, said that Afghanistan loses over one billion dollars annually due to the caretaker government’s policies toward women and girls in Afghanistan.

Rina Amiri wrote on X that the ban on girls’ education and women’s employment in Afghanistan harms all Afghans in the country and that to mitigate this damage, policies toward women and girls need to change.

“Afghanistan is losing more than $1B annually due to the Taliban’s extreme decrees against women and girls. The edicts prohibit Afghan women and girls’ education and employment are hurting all Afghans. To lift Afghanistan out of aid dependency and poverty, these policies must be reversed,” she said on X.

“We should be given the right to work, and we demand the government to grant all women the right to education and work. How long can we stay at home? Many women like me are the sole breadwinners for their families, so we need to work,” said Fauzia, an unemployed woman.

The United Nations Women’s Department said in a statement that excluding women from decision-making deprives Afghanistan of opportunities to emerge from the crisis.

“Excluding Afghan women from decision-making not only deprives Afghanistan of any chance of emerging out of crises, it also signals that attacking women’s rights, silencing their voices and erasing them from society doesn’t just get unpunished, it becomes normalized,” said UN Women on X.

“I ask the government and the international community to assist women in other sectors because women make up the largest segment of society, and if good work opportunities are provided for them, they have great potential,” Shabnam, a student, told TOLOnews.

The Islamic Emirate said that good opportunities have been provided in the trade sector for women and it supports their achievements in Afghanistan.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, said that the frozen Afghan funds in the US directly impact the lives of women and men in the country, hence the need for the US to understand its responsibility in this regard.

“If America is so concerned about the Afghan people, it should first and foremost release the frozen Afghan funds. Approximately 9.1 billion dollars frozen in America directly negatively impacts the lives of the Afghan people; it affects both our sisters and men. Anyway, they must understand their responsibility towards Afghanistan,” he said.

Previously, the United States special representatives has called on countries worldwide to continue supporting women and girls in Afghanistan.

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